Lois Lerner, the IRS official held in contempt of Congress on May 7, is a proud American and the daughter of a war hero, according to her stepmother.

Svetluse Kramosilova Lerner, 73, said Air Force Major Martin Lerner — who died in 2008 and is buried in Arlington National Cemetery — “would be very proud of Lois for standing up to Congress.”

Lerner invoked her Fifth Amendment right to avoid self-incrimination and refused to answer any questions about the IRS targeting of conservative groups.

But she’s a patriot, like her dad, her stepmom says.

During World War II, Major Lerner flew B-17 bombers in Europe with the prestigious 305th Bomb Group. He also fought in Korea and Vietnam before retiring in 1968.

“He was a patriotic American who was very fair and square, and he would stand behind his daughter because the whole Congress are a bunch of screwballs!” Svetluse told one source. “Lois cannot give information about things she didn’t do.”